Metal burial casket



March 27, 1945. v w,. E, WALLACE METAL BURIAL CASKET Filed June 7; 1943 R .X 5 m My MM W M A 5 E M m L m B 4 lv 6 a a M o Patented Mar. 27, 1945 MET-AL BURIAL CASKET Walter E. Wallace, Richmond, Ind., assignor to Bell and Wallace Manufacturing Corporation,

Richmond,flnd., a corporation of Indiana Application June 7,1943, Serial No. 490,112.

3 (Jlaims.

I am fully aware that metal burial caskets in themselves are old in the art, but the method of forming the bottoms thereof and "the connection there'ofwith the side and end members as shown in the accompanying drawing is, to my-know'ledge, new.

"The principal object of the invention is the provision of sideand end members having their lower edges turned inwardly and with the inner edges thereof terminating in angularly disposed relation with respec't'to the majorpor'tion of the inwardly extending portion thereof and thereby providing means adding rigidity thereto.

A second object of the invention is the provision of a bottom member having a portion thereof near the outer edges angularly disposed to lie against the angularly disposed inwardly extending portion of the side and end members.

A third object of the invention is the provision of a bottom member having its edges overlying the inwardly extending edges of the side and end members and providing an easily accessible portion of each for the purpose of spot-welding or otherwise rigidly securing the members together into a unitary structure.

A fourth object of the invention is the provision of a bottom member having the'underside thereof in raised relation to the adjacent portions of respective side and end members and providing a space thereby in which a further stiffening member may be positioned and secured through the bottom member, and with the edges of the stiffening member providing means supporting the angularly disposed inwardly extending edges of the side and end members.

A further object of the invention is the provision of side and end members having inwardlyturned angularly disposed bottom edges and with the bottom therefor cooperating with the angularly disposed bottom edges and providing means whereby the bottom member is automatically centered in the casket with relation to the respective side and end members.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention will suggest themselves in the course of the following description, and that which is new will be pointed out in the appended claims Th most satisfactory and preferred means of carrying out the principles of the invention is shown in the accompanying one sheet of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a metal burial casket in which the principles of the invention are embodied.

Figure 2 is a right .end elevation .of the casket,

taken from line 24 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view through the 'lower edges of the o'asket, taken on lines .3-3 of Figures 1- and 2.

Figure '4 is a detail section through vone corner of the casket, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figures 5 and 6 are detail sections similar to that shown in Figure 3, but show modified forms of upwardly disposed beads.

Like characters denote like parts throughout 'the'several'views.

In order that the-construction ofthe casket and the advantages of the invention may be more fully set forth, I will now take up a detailed description of the same.

It will be noted that some features of construction shown on the drawing and described herein are also shown in Patent #2,026,716, of which I am a joint inventor.

In the drawing the casket, as shown, comprises side and end members I having a lid or cover 2 secured thereon. Corner angles 3 are provided at the junctures of the side and end members I and provide means to which the side and end members are secured by welding, bolting, or secured by other well-known and suitable means.

Numeral 4 designates the lower edges of the side and end members which are turned inwardly as indicated in Figures 3, 5, and 6. The innermost edges 5 of the inwardly-turned members 4 are disposed angularly upward and inward, thereby providing rigid edges to the members 4. A head member 6 is formed in the member 4 providing rigidity thereto and also providing a recess for the fingers of persons handling the caskets. The bead members 6 may be formed of any suitable shape, as indicated in Figures 3, 5, and 6.

The bottom member 1 is preferably formed of a single sheet of metal of width and length corresponding to the approximate distance between the beads 6. The bottom I has an angularly disposed portion 8 which coincides with the angularity of edges 5 of the side and end members, and with the outer edges 9 of the bottom member overlying the inwardly turned flange 4 between the angularly disposed portion 5 and the bead 6 through which they .are shown as being spotwelded as at points l2, or the same may be secured together by means of bolts, screws, or other suitable means.

A bottom filler or reinforcing member Ill, preferably made of plywood, is shown as being secured through the bottom 1 by means of metal screws. The bottom filler may also be secured to the bottom member by means of screws, nails, or other suitable means. It will be noted, by referring to Figures 3, 5, and 6, that member i0 abuts the inner edge of the angularly disposed portion 5 providing means thereby preventing the edge of portion 5 from being forced downwardly and becoming distorted and also providing extreme rigidity to the portion 5 and to the bottom member 1.

I desire that it be understood that I am not to be limited to the exact construction and the arrangement of the parts herein shown and described, but that minor changes may be made therein, insofar as the changes may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now fully shown and described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A metal burial casket having side and end members, the lower edges of which form an inwardly extending flange having a bead formed therein and with the inner edges of the flanges forming an angularly disposed portion, a bottom member in said casket having angularly disposed portions cooperating with the angularly disposed inner edges of the flange members, and with the outer edges of the bottom member overlying'and secured through the inwardly extending flanges of the side and end members.

2. In a burial casket, a bottom member having extending therearound, side and end members having inwardly extending flanges formed thereon, an angularly disposed inner edge formed on each of the inwardly extending flanges with the angularly disposed inner edge cooperating with the angularly disposed portion of the bottom member, with the inwardly extending flanges of the side and end members underlying the outwardly projecting flange of the bottom member and secured therethrough, a reinforcing member located beneath the bottom member and secured therethrough with the outer edges of the reinforcing member abutting the angularly disposed portion of the inner flanges and providing support thereto.

3. In a burial casket, a bottom member therein, an angularly disposed portion formed therearound within the outer edges thereof, a reinforcing member located under the bottom member and secured therethrough, side and end members having inwardly turned flanges formed by the lower portions thereof, and with an angularly disposed inner edge formed on the inwardly turned flanges of the side and end members, with the inwardly turned flanges together with the angularly disposed inner edge underlying the outer edges and the angularly disposed portion of the bottom member and secured therethrough, and with the angularly disposed inner edges abutting the reinforcing member and supported against downward movement thereby.

WALTER E. WALLACE. 

